Alas, Another CT Fic
by LameBicycle98
Summary: As I browse specifically for pairings, here are mine.Main: CronoMarle and LuccaMagus. Supplemental are FrogCyrus, LuccaRobo, SchalaMagus, AylaKino, RoboAtropos, LaraTaban, AlfadorCrono's Cat CHAPTER 5 UP!
1. Chapter 1

Note: Eventually I will have the story go towards a more original line. For just a little bit I'm going to steal the real story and/or allude to it, as I feel certain events have to happen for the characters to grow to where I want them to be xx

Disclaimor: I own nothing of the below. SquareSoft does! I think it is SquareEnix now, actually. Well, anyhow. I am not a part of that. I wish I was. Alas.

The group was small and, when looking at the ragtag bunch through discerning eyes, miserable. They were young. Young in italics, young. Most kids their age were worried about trivial matters like the recent fashions and which of their peers was attractive at that moment. Instead they were more concerned with machines, guns and swords, time-travel, epic battles and the fate of their universe. It wasn't that they were mature for their age, it was that they were forced to grow. They learned it was a tough world. They were to adapt or die in the attempt.

The leader of this band was Crono, a teenager from 1000 AD, Truce. He was a previously carefree youngster with a mop of strikingly red hair. Now his face was dirty, his hands scraped up and there was more than one battle scar across his chest and back. He was quiet by nature, but deadly with the katana, his weapon of choice.

At Crono's side was Marle. That name was merely a beloved alias, for she was once called Nadia, princess of Guardia. She was a blonde, charismatic teen with a lot of spunk and energy. She wasn't the brightest, but she was wise in her own way. She knew better than anyone that the most logical argument in the world might not do as much convincing as a smile and a polite attitude would.

The self-appointed mechanical genius of the group was a purple haired youngster named Lucca. She was smart, probably too smart. She was the only one who made all of her own weapons and constantly gave their ship, the time travelling Epoch, constant repairs.

Shortest of all was Frog, aptly named for the fact he was, indeed, a frog. However, he wasn't always an amphibian. He was a knight named Glenn in the past who had been travelling with a true hero, Cyrus. Their comraderie came to a close, however, when the evil Magus, a dark wizard, brought death to Cyrus and the crude shape to Glenn. Now, the knight swore revenge against the dark mystic.

Next was Robo, a robot that Lucca had restored in their soon-to-be desolute future. He was strong and loyal. Sometimes the group forgot that he was a robot, for he was as loving and kind as any of those who had flesh instead of metal for skin.

Last, but not least, was a warrior from the past named Ayla. She didn't say much, due to her limited vocabulary, but she made up for that by the fact that she always wore a fur bikini, complete with tail. This was readily welcomed by the males, though both the other girls had tried to tell her that it wasn't exactly appropriate to run around in "unmentionables". This, however, had started a discussion about how something could be unmentionable if they were mentioning it. In despair, Lucca and Marle had given up and just let Ayla be Ayla. Considering her superhuman strength, they both figured it was probably better to just let her have her way in most cases.

The ultimate aim for this group was to defeat a being known as Lavos. He was a parasite, coming to earth in Ayla's time and slowly biding its time before it would make itself known to the earths unlucky inhabitants, effectively destroying the world.

"Does this place give anyone else the creeps?" Lucca asked, nervously darting glances around one of the lesser palaces of Zeal.

"Ayla like!" Ayla articulated as well as she could. She had a reason to like it though. The inhabitants of the world, curious about the organic magic users, had been interested in them all, but especially in Ayla. She had grabbed their attention when she started jumping about, pointing to everything that caught her eye (especially anything that was shiny) and asking, "what that?" Before some hapless resident could explain it, she lost interest and immediatly pointed to something else, repeating her question. For some reason her eagerness had won the affection of the Zealots (the name given to them by Lucca) and they followed her around, delighted.

"I doth not perceive goodness stems from such decadence," Frog said quietly, fingering his legendary blade, the masamune, at his side.

"It's almost like being back home," Marle said wistfully. She didn't like to admit it, but sometimes she missed her father, even if he was an overprotective prig. She unconsciously let her fingers brush against Crono's. When the redhead lifted his eyes to meet hers and smiled, Marle felt a little bit better. He was at her side. He was her protector and her guide. She knew she would be okay so long as he was always with her.

"I still don't like it. Everyone seems cold and mechanic. No offence, Robo," Lucca said offhand to the robot who came to stand beside her.

"None taken, Lucca. Considering your fondness for me, it stands that you would not find mechanical beings to your dislike," Robo beeped.

"I like robots, of course. I just don't like to find such qualities in people," said the purple headed girl after a moments' consideration.

"Let's remember what we're here for. It isn't to check out the locals. Lavos is making his presence known here. He's a lot stronger here than in the other ages. There must be a reason why," Crono said calmly.

"Ayla found news!" the bouncy blonde cried as she bounced over to the group. She managed to ditch her entourage of Zealots.

"What's the story?" Marle asked.

"No story. News! Shiny people say great blue man come. He see future in his head," Ayla nodded happily.

"A soothsayer?" questioned Frog. "Mere charlatans with tricks."

"Perhaps. Maybe he's somehow connected to Lavos. I think we should investigate. After all, it's the only lead we have in this place," Crono said decidedly. The others nodded or voiced their agreement.

"I'm sensing another land bridge. If we leave now we should be able to make it to the Palace of Zeal before nightfall," Robo said helpfully.

The group set out immediately. When they reached the land bridge they were lifted up by a beam of pure light into another place. They quietly trudged through the snows of the "unenlightened ones" or those who could not use magic. When they reached the other bridge, they were beamed up in the sky and found themselves in front of a magnificent castle.

"This would put Daddy to shame," Marle said with wide eyes.

They entered the grand palace. They decided to split up and try to find out as much as possible about the prophet and Lavos as they could.

Lucca ended up going off on her own. She was partnered with Robo but managed to convince him that they'd cover more ground on their own. Truthfully, she just wanted to be alone for a little bit. The genius realized that she was tired. She had been through many battles recently. From the skeleton demon to the battle of the wind gods Masa and Mune, to the great showdown between her party and Magus. That had been the worst for her. His shadow attacks didn't just hurt her physically, but emotionally. She felt terror and a vague sadness as they hit her. It was like she was falling into a dark void and nobody cared that when she hit the bottom she might stop breathing. The feeling had kept her awake at night sometimes. What bothered her the most is that it seemed like it was someone else's sadness reaching out to her. She had a touch of what she imagined it must like being Marle, wanting to care for everyone who was hurt. When she tentatively questioned the others about it she was met with blank stares. It seemed like she was the only one who had experienced it. Frog had taken her aside and warned her that Magus was the incarnate of evil, and not to be trusted. He played tricks and it wasn't worth worrying about.

Lost in her own thoughts she realized that she had wandered off without quite realizing how she had gotten there. She found herself at a hallway that separated into two different rooms. Hearing noises from the left room, she decided to head over and see if she could find someone who might know something about Lavos.

She entered to find the most beautiful woman she had ever seen. She was stunning and looked exactly like Lucca imagined a princess should look (especially compared to Marle). The woman had flowing hair that was pinned up with jewels. Two chunks of shimmering locks fell on her cheeks and below her neck. She wore a simple white dress with an adorned belt, simple silver sandals and a pendant around her neck. Upon closer inspection, Lucca realized that she had seen that pendant before. Before she could place where she had seen it, the beautiful woman spoke.

"Janus, you don't look so well. Do you want me to get you something warm to drink?" she said softly.

"I'm fine," he said. "It's you who I'm worried about. Schala! That woman isn't in her right mind. She's hurting you."

"You shouldn't speak of our mother that way," she who was called Schala answered.

"She's not my mother!" the boy spat contemptuously. "Not anymore. That . . . thing is making her crazy."

"I know it seems hard now, Janus. But you must trust me, and her. She's just doing what she thinks is right for everyone. Hopefully you won't ever have to have so many worries. She's Queen, brother. She belongs more to the people than to us."

Just than a woman slipped past Lucca without seeming to know or care that she was there. The woman's attention was only for Schala.

"Mistress, the Queen requests your presence in the Mamon room."

"Yes, certainly. Tell her I will be there soon," Schala said before turning to Janus. "Brother, promise me. If anything happens you'll go stay with the Earthbound ones. The elder will take care of you. Promise me."

Janus quietly promised. Schala nodded and turned to go. Finally she saw Lucca standing awkwardly near the door.

"Who are you?" Schala asked. Before Lucca could answer, the attendant begged the princess to follow her. Quietly they left.

"What are you doing here? You don't belong here," the boy snapped at Lucca.

"I feel the same way. Nice cat," Lucca said, pointing to a cat that was the same color as the boys flowing blue hair.

"His name is Alfador," the boy said. "He only likes me so don't bother trying to pet him."

"I wasn't going to," Lucca said, eyeing the strange cat and his even stranger owner.

"Who are you?" The boy asked.

"My name is Lucca," the girl said as she took a seat in one of the chairs.

"Why are you here? Don't you know you can't trespass in the room of the Prince of Zeal?"

Lucca felt her cheeks redden as a fire spell was coming to mind. She usually had better self control, but the stress had been slowly eating away at her patience. She was about to scare the boy with a small fire ball, but when she looked at the boys eyes she saw more than just his anger. She saw the clenched fists and his shaking legs. He was afraid. Not of her, but of something greater. The spell dissipated as she rested her head in her hands. She was tired.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I don't know where I am. This place is unfamiliar to me."

"You still shouldn't trespass," he said with a childlike impertinence. Alfador, purring, crept up to Lucca. Timidly it rested its claws on her leg. Then in one bounding leap it was on her lap, nestling against her orange overshirt.

"Alfador?" the boy looked shocked. "What are you doing?"

"The cat has good taste," Lucca said triumphantly. Catching a look at the boy, she immediatly felt guilty. "I haven't showered in awhile. Maybe I smell like fish or something."

"He's never done that before," Janus said quietly.

"Yeah. Well um, so what's the Mamon thing?" Lucca asked while giving the cat a pat.

"You shouldn't listen to other peoples conversations," the boy said with narrowed eyes.

"I know. I'm sorry. It was impolite. Unfortunately, I can't take back what I've heard. So what can you tell me about it?"

"It's a machine. Moth... the queen, says that it is connected to a God. She says she will become all powerful through it and bring out people into a golden age. It's nonsense though. She's not powerful. She needs Schala to run it," Janus said.

"A god, hm? Maybe it's Lavos," Lucca thought to herself.

Aloud, she said "you really love your sister, don't you?"

"More than anything," he said quietly. As he did, Alfador jumped from Lucca's lap to Janus'. He caressed his beloved cat.

"You should go," Janus said quietly. "I want to be alone."

"Sorry. Thanks for your help, Janus," Lucca said before she left. She knew she had to find her friends immediately to impart her newfound knowledge.

She found them all waiting in the great lobby. They were already discussing what they had found. It wasn't much. Far as they could tell the prophet had shown up a little bit before them and was causing dissension between Dalton, the Queen's right hand man and the Queen herself. It was said that she trusted the prophets judgement without question. Beyond that they had learned nothing else.

"Wait til you hear what I found out," Lucca said. She told them her theory that she thought the Queen was trying to use Lavos to raise her enlightened people and world even higher up then it was.

"The eyes of this majesty is clouded, if she doth think she can use the great beasts power for good," Frog said solemnly.

"Is it even possible?" Crono asked.

"I don't know," said Lucca. "I suppose it might be. Janus said something about the queen being crazy. Maybe Lavos is using her instead of the other way around."

"Who is this Janus?" Marle asked with a sparkle in her eye.

"A child, oh matchmaker," Lucca said with a glare.

"Doesn't hurt to ask," Marle said with a grin.

"Ayla bored! Ayla fight bad thing!"

"I agree with Ayla. I think we should head to this Mamon room. Any idea where it is, Lucca?" Crono asked.

"No. But since I've already been to the left I assume it's somewhere on the right."

"Brilliant deduction," Robo said in all seriousness.

The group traveled to the doors of the Mamon Machine.

"Wow," said Marle. "Those are some impressive doors, but how will we get past them?"

"Knocking is the most accepted method of formal visitor admittance," Robo beeped.

"Well, I guess it couldn't hurt," Crono said as he bounced up the steps to open the door.

"Wait, Crono! Let me try!" Marle said, bouncing in front of her love. She knocked in a seemingly secret code on the door. Thump, thump, thump, thump followed by two quick whacks!

"That look fun! Ayla hit door!" The busty blond said as she clamored up the stairs. She pounded away on the door in a wild manner, jumping up and down. She gave it a kick or two for good measure as well.

"Ayla, I don't think that's necessary," Lucca murmured.

"Ayla know, Ayla show. Door open for Ayla."

Just then a flash from the door caused Ayla's joyous rampage to take a time out. The door shimmered, then shined. Marle's pendant, as if taking that as a stage cue, started to shine as well.The door, almost of its own accord, spread its doors open wide. It beckoned the group with the promise of mystery and adventure, though, deep down in the pit of their stomachs, all but the robot felt uneasy.

"Did you know this could do that?" Marle said, holding up her pendant.

"I was just about to ask you that," Crono said, scratching his head.

The group took a deep breath before they went into the unknown.


	2. Chapter 2

Ouch. Wow. Sorry about having misspelled the Mammon machine. Let's just ignore I did that! Sorry! I haven't played the game in a bit and that's probably horribly obvious.

Speaking of which, the story is now taking liberties with the game canon so, forgive me if you hate it. I'm evil and such?

Anyway, here's chapter two. Thanks for reviewing ;

The usual I own nothing blah blah suing is futile.

To Marle the world seemed to have fallen on her shoulders. As she pieced together the past few hours in her mind she felt a cold chill in the pit of her abdomen. Like she had been stabbed. In many ways she wished she had been.

She recalled the door opening into the Mammon room. The air had been charged with some sort of terrible electricity. She didn't remember exactly what happened. There had been words exchanged, a Queen and a prophet. A beautiful princess like herself watching with wide eyes. There were flashes of light and a mocking laughter. The Queen was laughing at them. And then, the dread. The terrible sickening dread.

Lavos.

His presence was there in that machine. Her pendant felt like it burned on her neck, reacting to the red rock, reacting to him. She felt the hatred like a tangible presence and in the center of that hatred a twisted desire. The desire to consume, the lust of gluttony, of possession.

She felt herself freeze. She couldn't move a muscle. The agony of that overpowering presence stopped her as the others moved on. Marle kept her eyes plastered on Crono's moptop of red hair. A beacon for her to hold onto. As long as she could see him she was alright.

And then the others stopped. The laughter stopped. There was a light. She felt a small part of herself being dragged into a portal, no, into Lavos himself. It was so slight that she wondered if it was real or if she was merely imagining it. She looked in vain into the light but it blinded her eyes.

Then she saw him. His shadow. Her hero. Like a black fountainhead he stood in front of the light, arms up. The sacrificial offering. He was throwing his body into the light to stop it. He was sacrificing himself for them. She knew it.

"Crono!" she cried out, too late. He was gone, or she was gone. Everything was dark.

When Marle awakened her compatriots, minus one, were gathered around her. She didn't have to ask where Crono was. She saw it in their eyes. The rest of that night was a teary eyed blur.

Now that she was calmer in the morning light Marle felt that she could manage to make conversation without choking up. She leaned into Lucca, who tensely put her arm on the princess' shoulder.

"We'll get him back. Even death won't stop me," Marle said to her friend. Lucca shuddered to hear such serious words from the usually happy-go-lucky blonde. In her heart though, she agreed.

Lucca and Frog decided to go and check out what remained of the earthbound village. Robo had been switched off to restore his battery and Ayla had run off to find food. Of them all, Ayla's simplistic mind was handling the situation the best.

"Crono no die. No red water. He not here. He somewhere. We find," she had said after careful deliberation on the matter. Nobody had the heart to argue with her.

Lucca was nervous about leaving Marle alone. She had taken to staring off into space recently with a dull look not unlike Ayla's when Robo spoke to her. Lucca hesitated but asked the princess to join them.

"There's a cape overlooking the ocean. We're going to go see if there's some more land to travel to. The scenery should be nice though," she said. To her surprise, Marle agreed.

Frog, ever the gentleman, held Marle's hand as they walked. In little time they arrived at the cape. Each took in the sight of the morning sun as it rose before a most unwelcome sight swam into their vision. It was Magus, the demon lord from the Middle Ages.

"You fiend!" Frog said immediately as he pulled out his sword to face his nemesis.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't Sir Froggy and his rag tag band of fools. Give me one good reason why shouldn't kill you right now?" Magus ground out, his voice full of pure loathing. "You children can't do anything right. You think you're going make some sort of difference? You're pathetic. You trudge along and fight your little battles and you think you're actually accomplishing something! Unfortunately you're making so little progress it's sad that you're even trying. Your idiot leader thought he was making a difference, but all he did was get himself killed. Magnificent work you children do!"

"You shut your mouth," Marle cried. Tears were so prevalent in her eyes that she could hardly see. "You don't know him! He saved our lives, including yours! He's a hero, do you hear me! He's a hero!" Marle choked on her tears and fell to her knees. She fell into the fetal position and simply cried. She was uncontrollable in her misery. Between crying she would emit a blood curling scream that trailed off and ended in choking.

Lucca couldn't look at her friend. Her own grief was so great that she was almost overjoyed to have something to take her mind off of her misery. Magus was someone to hate. Someone to take the irrational blame for the loss of Crono. She aimed her gun at him, breathing heavily. If only she could shoot him in the heart. Oh, who was she kidding? What heart could this monster have?

"Coward! Beast! Thine ladies are in agony and thou dare to insult Sir Crono's honor?" Frog unsheethed his Masamune. "Vagrant! Demon! I shall avenge Sir Cyrus and Sir Crono in one blow!"

"Take your best shot, vermin," Magus said as he pulled his scythe from thin air. Frog seemed about to take him up on this offer before Marle let out another cry.

"Frog! Don't! Please! I can't take it! I can't take it anymore. Killing him won't bring Crono back. He's gone. Frog, Frog! He's gone. What am I going to do, Frog?" Marle was whispering this last sentence to herself, over and over, like a mantra.

Frog lowered his weapon. He looked at Magus with contempt.

"Though I am grieved Princess, I see truth in thine's words. Thou are lucky, mystic, that the princess is wise. I would have had thine's head, though such actions would not see the return of our loved ones. No harm will come to thine's head from this hand," Frog said quietly.

Magus growled to himself. Turning, he faced the sea. His great cape billowed in the wind around his lithe figure. Frog, helping Marle, walked off with her in the direction of the Earthbound village.

Seemingly forgotten, Lucca still aimed her gun at Magus's back.

"Turn around," she said in a deadly quiet voice.

"Still here?" The blue haired Prophet said calmly.

"Turn around, Magus. I want to look you in the eyes when I kill you," A tear rolled down her face as she said it though she stood her ground.

Magus slowly turned to face her. Lucca expected to see the hatred overflowing in his eyes but instead she saw sadness. She knew somehow that he was seeing exactly what she was feeling as well. They were both mourning a loved one. Lucca knew that she couldn't kill him. She lowered her gun.

"What are you doing?" Magus growled. He moved fast until he was towering over Lucca's small figure. "Why don't you shoot me?"

"I, I can't," Lucca whispered, unable to look him directly in the face.

"Yes you can! Do it, child!" He took her by the shoulders and shook her.

"Is your desire to die so great?" Lucca said quietly, looking up into his dark, red eyes.

"What do you know of desire? You're merely a child," Magus's eyes burned into her.

"I know what it's like to lose someone! I know what it's like to want to change the past so bad you'd give your life for just a moment to be happy. My mother. . . I'd give my life so that she could walk again!" Lucca gritted her teeth and felt the tears overflow and roll down her cheeks.

Magus released her and looked at her. She couldn't read his face but she could feel that his anger had melted away. Almost unconsciously, he raised a hand and wiped away one of her tears.

"Forgive me," he said quietly.

Both of them stood there for what seemed like an eternity. They faced one another with their heads bowed. It seemed like they might become pillars of salt overlooking the sea when a soft "mew" startled both of them. Looking down, each saw the cat, Alfador, caressing the legs of Magus while its tail wrapped around Lucca's legs.

Magus bent down and brought the cat into his arms.

"That's that boys cat. His name was Janus, I think," Lucca paused, considering. "I wonder if he survived."

"He did," Magus said quietly.

"How do you know?"

"This cat is mine," Magus said while cuddling Alfador in his arms.

"You...You're that boy!"

"Yes. Don't ask," he said, noticing her mouth opening to ask the inevitable question. "It's a long story and on the whole, uninteresting."

"Then Schala is your sister," Lucca said, deducing the obvious out loud. She didn't notice the wizards eyes darken at the mention of his sisters name.

"Correct," he said after a moment and offered nothing more. He briskly turned from her and started walking away towards the makeshift earthbound villages.

"Hey, wait! Where do you think you're going?" Lucca called after him.

"I have things to do just as I imagine you and the others have things to do as well," he said quietly.

"You're going to look for her, aren't you? You're going to go find Schala," Lucca said before she thought. The idea had come to her immediately, just as a very angry looking Magus immediately came face to face with her again.

"What business is it of yours?" He growled.

"It ... that it, it isn't," she faltered. "But we're all on the same path. You're looking for Schala, we're looking for Crono,"

"He's dead," Magus interrupted. "Let him rest in peace."

"If he's dead then so is Schala and your searching is equally as pointless as ours," she said. He didn't respond so after a pause she continued. "We're all looking for Lavos. Our paths our inexplicably tied together, regardless of how much we might not like it. You," she paused, sighed. "You should come with us."

"Pardon?" He said, genuinely shocked. "You're asking me to join your little party?"

"Yes."

"I'd rather drown," he said with narrowed eyes. "I'm going to find my sister alone," he said, emphasizing the last word.

"You'll need help!" Lucca said stubbornly. Then she thought her herself, why is she doing this? Who cares if he goes out on his own. It's not like he needs protection or anything. She'd seen how strong he was. Plus he's a great big jerk that everyone hated. Why was she asking him to come along?

Because there's something in him you recognize, a voice in her head told her. He's made of the same stuff you are.

"Are you offering your services?" he asked. At first Lucca was shocked. Was that a teasing note in his voice?

"I.. I don't..." she stammered. He smiled a devilish grin.

"I think you just did. In that case, you may come along with me. Only you," he said with an arched eyebrow. "You may carry Alfador," he said, depositing the cat into her hands.

"But, but.. I didn't..." she looked miserably at the cat. Magus cocked his head to the side but didn't say anything.

"All right," she said then looked positively shocked that she had said it. Magus wanted to laugh but he refrained, instead giving her a cold stare.

Are you out of your mind? her voice thundered in her mind. He'll kill you as soon as look at you. He's mentally unstable! First he's trying to kill you and then he asks you to kill him and now he's asking you to travel with him as a cat carrier! You should have stayed home and never built that damn telepod, she thought bitterly.

"I have to tell my friends first," she said. "Or they'll worry about me."

"Of course. I have to do some preparations. I will meet you back here in a day. Is that suitable?" She nodded her consent.

Magus didn't mention that she took her cat with him. He watched her curiously as she walked off. Then, turning as his cape whipped around dramatically, he sauntered off.


	3. Chapter 3

Alright. Hopefully this update works this time. Anyhow. I was in England for the past three months and that was such a huge trip for me that it took up all my time. Hopefully now that I have returned to the states I'll be able to update more frequently. Although school is starting so who knows.

As always I own nothing which is actually very sad since I'm dedicating a small portion of my life to something that will never be entirely mine. I weep, but hah, nobody can sue me because of it.

On with the show ladies and gents:

"You're going to _what_!" cried Marle to the purple haired girl who stood before her. "And with _who!"_

"I've already told you three times," said Lucca quietly, biting her lip and holding the strange blue cat closer to her chest. "I'm going to go with Magus. He's looking for his sister somewhere... out there," she made a gesture with her hand to encompass the entirety of the land.

"Lucca, friend, thou art in danger with that one," Frog croacked out, his face puffing out making his large eyes seem larger. Lucca didn't know if that made her feel bad for the humanoid creature or just a teensy bit more creeped out.

"Look," began Lucca exaspetated, "It's not that I am unaware that Magus isn't exactly the nicest guy around but I know that he's not evil..."

Frog interrupted with a noise. Lucca eventually decided that it must have been a frogs version of a sarcastic laugh.

"Okay well he's not Lavos-evil. I can't explain it, I just know." _Or, at least, I hope_, said a little voice in her head.

Marle sighed and looked down. "Lucca, we were planning on trying to see if there was a way of.. Of.. " she took a moment to quiet herself before looking up at her friend. "Of bringing Crono back."

"Crono gone. Bring back!" said Ayla helpfully and with strange cheer.

"That's right, Ayla. We're going to bring him back!" Marle looked at the blond with a sad smile before turning back to Lucca. "I wanted you to help Lucca. You're smarter than all of us. What if the Epoch breaks down or Robo needs a check-up?" Lucca sighed.

"I know it seems like I'm abandoning everyone to go on some crazy chase with a man who once tried to kill us... okay maybe I am crazy. But look, it's just something I need to do. And please, I don't mean any disrespect by this Marle, but it's unlikely that you guys will be able to bring Crono back, my help or not," Lucca staggered when she saw Marle's eyes filling with tears. It was with a heavy heart that she continued on, "But I would be disappointed if you didn't try. It's something you have to do, just as this is something I have to do. Please understand..." It was clear from the look in everyone's eyes, except Ayla who was tying her tail in a knot, that this was not the case. Marle, however, nodded vaguely.

"If it's what you have to do, then do it. I don't like the idea, Lucca, but I understand. We all do," she gave Frog a look at this.

"Lady Lucca, please reconsider," said Frog. Lucca only shook her head sadly. The tension in the room felt overbearing. It seemed like they could all stand there, not talking for eternity before there came a voice from the background.

"Oo, kitty! Rarr!" It was Ayla, leaping from a position on the floor and tacking Lucca and Alfador. The cat, who didn't very much like being tackled, took this as a sign of the upmost danger and scrambled away before being in any real peril. Lucca, however, was not so lucky. She and Ayla tumbled to the floor, blond and purple hair flying everywhere.

"Ooof! Ayla! Watch it!" cried Lucca on her back.

"Cat get away!" shouted the blond. She would have run after it if Lucca hadn't grabbed onto her tail and held her back.

"No fair," said Ayla, pouting. "No laugh!" she cried, but everyone, in shock, had started laughing heartily at her foibles.

---------------------------------------------------------------

The group decided to meet up at the End of Time after a certain number of weeks. Lucca gave them one of her pet projects she had been working on.

"What is this again?" Marle had asked, holding the tiny device gingerly in her hands.

"It's a communicator. I haven't really been able to test it that well but it should be able to let us make quick messages to one another if it's an emergency. I'm not sure exactly what the range is, or if it will even work if we're in different time periods. But I have been working under the theory of the speed of light that if..."

"Okay, okay! Don't go into the details, I won't understand a word of it," giggled Marle.

Frog had given her a stern lecture about Magus, citing various injuries the mage had done in the name of senseless cruelty. By the end of his tirade Lucca had half a mind to call the crazy deal off.

_However,_ thought she,_ I went through all that trouble of convincing them. I might as well go._

Lucca started her way to the small earthbound town to gather supplies for her upcoming journey when she heard a noise behind her. She turned to see Robo trudging slowly after her.

"Robo? What are you doing here. You should be with the others."

"Lucca, I could not let you go without first saying goodbye," the robot whirred.

"Oh, Robo, that's so sweet," Lucca said as she put her arms around the metallic body of the robot she had saved and named.

"I'm scared Robo," she admitted to him.

"You are brave, Lucca. You will be strong. I have been listening to Frog talk and he has been speaking about a ..." the robot whirred, processing information, "higher power? Is that accurate? He believes that a higher power is controlling our lives and what you humans would call destiny. From what I understand of this concept I believe that it is our destiny to meet again. So, please, do not be afraid of the future."

"Robo," said Lucca quietly, "have I ever told you that you're the only one who makes sense to me?"

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Marle dried her eyes. She had to be strong. With Crono gone _and oh, how that pain ached_ and Lucca wandering off it was she who would be in charge of the little band of warriors. As a princess she was used to giving orders and having them followed without a second thought. However she was surrounded by her friends and companions. They had been through a lot together. Under the leadership of Crono they had fought bravely and well. She didn't know if she could lead them as well as he did.

_It doesn't matter. All you have to do is get Crono back. Then everything will be back to normal._

Still. When she looked at their faces, she saw the pain as clearly as if she was looking in the mirror. She was unsure of herself, just as much as they must have been unsure of her.

"Princess Marle?" said Frog respectfully. "Thou hast been silent for a time now. Shouldst thou not decide which course of action we take?"

"Yes," said Marle quietly. "Yes. The main objective is to bring Crono back. I have no idea where to start though."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Lucca made it back to the North Cape at the time when she had told Magus she would return. She didn't see him when she got there so she sat down and rested her head on her hands and sighed. She couldn't believe he was late. It just didn't seem like something he would do.

Her disappointment was quickly ended when a voice thundered at her, causing her to stand up in alarm, the hairs on her arms sticking right up.

"Where is Alfador?" shouted the distinct voice of Magus.

"Oh. Shit."


	4. Chapter 4

Note: Hey guys. I know, I'm updating and months haven't gone by. It's almost too good to be true! Well it probably is. I figured I might as well give this one another go before I start work on an Aeon Flux fic (since there are so few of those!). Although if you really want me to continue on with this, reviews are appreciated and they probably will make me right faster if there's enough of them. Wink wink nudge nudge.

As always, I own nothing and nobody is giving me anything of material value for it. Although I would totally love a milkshake if anyone was willing to buy me one.

On with the story -

The first thing the group did was visit Gaspar at the End of Time. They were looking weak and tired, their numbers greatly diminished. With Crono presumed dead and Lucca running off with a certain blue haired Wizard the only ones left were Marle, Ayla, Robo and Frog. Marle grimaced as she realized the only strong magic element among them was water and ice.

"Well, at least we'll heal easily," she thought.

"Children!" sounded a mature voice from the lampost. "Are you back to see me already? I was getting a bit lonely here. Spekkio isn't that great of company, you know. All he talks about is being the god of this and that, old coot."

"Big goat-man wrestle!" shouted Ayla and bounded, tail whipping behind her, to the door in the corner which led to the supposed God of War. Gaspar blinked and tipped his hat up so that his eyes, big, brown circles, could easily be seen.

"Spekkio has changed since you saw him last..." he began before being interrupted by a scream.

"EEEK! Purple devil!"

"Guess she found him. Now, onto more important matters. What brings you here?"

"Is it unknown to thou, wise one?" said Frog quietly as he took a meditative pose on the ground. Marle followed suit and sat next to him while Robo remained standing, beeping pleasantly.

"The mists tell me things but it isn't the same as being there myself. I do know that Crono is missing from your party. Has he had an unfortunate accident?" Gaspar looked at those around him. Marle's eyes started to water as she looked at the floor. Frog had closed his eyes, as if attempting to shut out the voice of the wise man and the reality of the situation.

"Crono died saving our lives in the Kingdom of Zeal, roughly 12,000 B.C., guru," sounded the metallic voice of Robo when nobody else would speak.

"Ah, that explains it. I cannot feel him in the present time stream. Tell me, how was it that this came to pass?"

"He died," whispered Marle "by stepping into the light that was..." she faltered and moved her hand in an aggressive manner "generated, I guess, from Lavos. We didn't know it was Lavos though, we thought it was the Mammon machine."

"The Mammon machine and Lavos are connected somehow," beeped Robo.

"That's correct. In the time stream I could feel the same sort of hunger rising from each."

"What are we going to do?" Marle said as a large teardrop fell down her face, hitting the ground and exploding outwards. The act, caught in Marle's eye, caused another tear to fall, and another. Some sort of never ending cascade of wetness.

"Nothing," said Gaspar, and lowered his hat so that his eyes were completely covered.

"Thou canst be serious," cried Frog as he rose to his feet. " Thou art saying that we shouldst continue on without our leader? Crono fought valiantly for us. It wouldst be a dishonor to let him go just as is."

Gaspar was silent a long while. The only sounds made in the End of Time were the quiet sobs of Marle, the mechanical whirring of Robo and the distant sound of Ayla being thrown against a wall by Spekkio. It was something none of them understood; Ayla always wished to tangle with Spekkio even though her physical attacks couldn't harm him. Like she was punishing herself, taking all of that abuse. Or like she couldn't admit to herself that there was something she couldn't take on with her bare hands alone.

"Perhaps, perhaps there is something."

"Please, if you know, you have to tell us," pleaded Marle.

"There may be a way of catching Crono's essense in the time stream."

"Excuse me, Guru, but you previously said that you could not sense him in the time stream anymore," said Robo.

"I said I couldn't feel him in the _present_ time stream. He still exists in the past - and you guys are experts when it comes to traveling in the past, am I right? Now, here's what you must do..."

Gaspar whispered long into the mists of time that surrounded him. When the group left, it was with a smile that gleamed with hope.

"Um. Magus? Look... I... uh.. That is to say... I don't really know where Alfador is. He just ran off!"

"Simpleton! I give you one, count it, ONE task to do and you cannot even complete that? I'd downgrade you from royal cat carrier except that there no position lower than that at the moment!" Magus fumed, throwing his hands up in the air and pacing again.

Lucca sighed. He had been going on like this for over an hour, ranting and raving with little to no end in sight. The purple-haired mechanic was starting to wonder if Magus suffered from Bi-Polar disorder the way that his moods changed so quickly. First he was going to murder her, then he asked her to kill him, then he was apathetic, then indignant, than asking her to come with him, and now yelling at her just because his stupid cat happened to run away.

"Jerk," muttered Lucca under her breath. She quickly regretted those words as Magus almost leaped to stand in front of her. He leaned over so that his face was very close to hers.

"What. Was. That?" He said very low, very dangerously. Lucca gulped.

"N-nothing."

"Good. It better stay that way," he said as he stood up. It was then that Lucca lost her patience and jumped to her feet.

"Okay listen here buddy. It's not my fault that your stupid cat ran off. Maybe you should have been keeping a better eye on him."

"Do you understand the concept, braniac, of a royal cat carrier? No, obviously not. Well let me explain it to you. The job is really, really simple. You. Watch. The. Damn. Cat. That's all, and you couldn't do that. When your friends used to ask you to set things on fire did you miraculously manage to set something other than yourself aflame?"

"I... don't really see how this has to relate to your cat but... yes."

"That's a bloody miracle! So you can set things on fire with magic but you can't watch a cat? How dense are you!"

"Oh, shutup already you lout," Lucca said as she plopped back down, rolling her eyes.

_This is your fault, Lucca. You decided to come with him. You could have been helping Marle save your best friend but nooo, you decided to go with Mr. I constantly have a stick shoved up my ass and I like it that way blue haired wizard guy._

"Ridiculous," muttered Magus. He glared at her for awhile before turning and walking away.

"Where are you going!" cried Lucca, standing and running off after him.

"To a gate, idiot! I'm not going to stand around here and discuss your incompetence all day. I have matters to attend to."

"Oh, hey. While I don't appreciate that idiot comment, I'm going to let it slide merely because it's freezing here and I'd like to leave as soon as humanly possible. I have a key that will allow us to travel through the gates and even help up to locate them," she said as she pulled out the wand looking object from her sack and showed it to Magus, who, taking Lucca by shock, actually looked impressed.

"Not bad. What's it called?" asked the blue-haired mage. Lucca felt kind of proud, even though he didn't rave or anything. Still, she liked being appreciated for things she made.

"Um... a gate key," Lucca said. Magus's face fell.

"You suck at naming things, little one," he said as he sauntered off.

Lucca stood there for a second, glaring. _Little one! What sort of stupid name was that?_

She couldn't tell from the coldness of the ice and snow around her, but her face was red, and not from any amount of anger.

"Hey, aren't we going to look for your cat?" said Lucca gingerly when she caught up to him. She was kind of afraid that he was going to start yelling at her again, but she didn't want to leave that poor defenseless cat all alone out there.

"Alfador can take care of himself, unlike some people I know."

Lucca sighed. _Jerk._

Alfador, clever little cat, managed to accomplish many a thing after he snuck away from Lucca. He found a wall that was absolutely perfect for scratching. He also found a little Earthbound mouse that made for an excellent meal. Melted snow was perfect to drink and soothed the cat's thirst.

Alfador was a housecat. He was used to being pampered and while Janus had taken him down to the village often he never stayed there long enough to actually even consider the crazy idea that he might be stuck there. That idea, now planted firmly into the cats little mind, frightened him beyond belief.

He small kitty zoomed out of the Village and ran over the snow with an energy he had not known he possessed. Somewhere in the back of his little mind he thought that if he ran hard enough he might be able to find Zeal, or Janus, or (though feline-heaven forbid) that silly purple-haired girl that his master had left him with.

Unbeknownst to the cat he had managed to wander into the gate. Wether it was a malfunction in the gate or stream of time or wether the Great One who controls each destiny had waved his hand and made it so, the gate opened wide and flung the cat inside.

When he came out, Alfador was feeling perfectly rumpled and indignant. He wasn't used to such treatment at all. This was terrible, ludicrous! He began to lick his paws in order to put some semblance of royalty back into his fur.

"Oh, what a strange little cat you are!" said a voice of a matured woman. Before Alfador could move he was picked up into her arms. "Oh, have you no family? Do you belong to anyone around here? I suppose I will ask around later, but you look half starved, poor thing! I'll bring you home and feed you. You'll get along with our other cat. She's been so lonely ever since my son went off," she sighed. "Oh, how I miss my Crono."

Alfador blanched. Dear kitty-gods, he was getting picked up by a peasant woman!


	5. Chapter 5

Author Note: Hey kiddies, updating again. I got so bogged down with school, and, I'm remiss to admit it, a Harry Potter fanfic. I'm sorry. I'm obsessed. I love reading them. Cry.

As always, nothing here is really mine. Bugger.

Chapter 5

Lucca sighed to herself. Traveling with Magus was turning into one hell of a pain in the ass. He hardly slept which meant that she hardly slept as he required that they both continue walking or gate-passing whenever possible. Worst, when he did sleep, it was always standing up with his cape wrapped around him. Lucca had heard tales of vampires as a children but she didn't quite believe them, that is, until now. After all, he did have strangely pointed teeth.

When Lucca slept she put a clover of garlic under her pillow.

"Child, you _smell,"_ he pointed out to her once out of the blue. They had been trudging along in blissful silence when he had suddenly whipped around and said that as if it had been bothering him for a long time. Before Lucca could respond he turned around and continued walking on.

It was an understatement to say that he infuriated her.

It wasn't that he had a knack for saying the wrong thing all the time, but that if he wasn't saying the wrong thing he was saying nothing at all. Even Ayla, who wasn't exactly prized for her ability to articulate, spoke more often. Lucca was wishing, as she wished often lately, that she hadn't have left her friends and let this man go off on his goose-chase alone.

Magus, who was walking in front as always, stopped abruptly. Lucca, who hadn't been paying attention, so lost in her own thoughts, continued walking until she was stopped by his backside.

"Oof! Hey, what did you stop for?" she asked, moving away from him quickly as she caught the look of irritation on his face.

"Pay attention to where I am going in the future. If you hadn't noticed it's late and a good time to stop for sleep and rations," Magus lifted a hand to his temple and massaged it a bit. Lucca eyed him closely when she didn't think he was looking and frowned to see the stress traces on his face.

"Stop staring," he growled. Lucca glared and muttered that she wasn't before slinging her pack down on the ground. They moved about in silence. This was regular routine for them. Magus always spent about a half an hour combing through forests if they weren't near an inn trying to find some sort of animal for food. Lucca, in the meantime, would start a fire and try to find water.

Lucca had already completed her tasks and was waiting patiently when Magus came back holding what looked like some brown, scaly, terribly ugly, beast.

"You expect me to eat that?" she grimaced at it.

"By all means, starve," he said as he dropped the animal in front of her. "Before you do, be kind enough to skin and cook it for me."

Lucca sighed but did as she was told. She wasn't exactly fond of this master-slave relationship they had formed but it kept Magus from blowing up. She knew he had a temper and was dangerous. That much was evidence by the way he mercilessly destroyed whatever came in their path. Most creatures weren't a match for the two magic-wielders, and Lucca knew that a simple shot from her gun or a stroke of his shiny scythe would make easy, remotely humane work of them. Magus, on the other hand, would cast obscenely difficult spells, entrapping the dumb beasts in his dark shadow magic. His eyes seemed to gleam with an inhuman glow as they whimpered and growled and screamed in agony.

_Issues, lots and lots of issues_, thought Lucca as she stared at him.

"Would you quit doing that?" he spat, leaning against a tree with his arms folded.

"Doing what?" lost in her own mind she wasn't conscious of the breach of conduct her eyes committed.

"You're staring at me again," he said disdainfully.

"I was not!" she protested, but put her head down and concentrated on her work at hand. She didn't look up even when she heard him snort with derision.

Magus watched her through his peripheral vision, as, heaven forbid, she actually think he would deign to take an interest in her. He didn't like the way she talked as it tended to have an unconscious _I'm so much smarter than everyone around me and damned if I don't know it_ air, although, thought Magus, considering who she usually traveled with, it wasn't something he could really fault her for.

He also didn't like the way her clothes were always messy and hung around her like they were two sizes too big. And orange! Who wore orange anymore? Magus was half convinced that the color was outlawed in Zeal before it, unfortunately, sank into the ocean floor.

Ah, Zeal. While all his memories from that place were far from perfect there were a few that he treasured. His sister, Schala, was there. She was tall, beautiful, and fiercely protective of Magus, who had once been Janus, who had once been young, stubborn, and totally unaware of the world around him.

Now that Schala was gone he was determined to search for her. He couldn't say if this obsession to find her and keep her safe rose from his desire to pay back the way she had stood up for him against his harlot of a mother, or because he wanted to redeem himself somehow. After all, he had done terrible, terrible things in his considerably short existence...

His eyes snapped wide when he saw that she was looking at him again. Annoying young girl. He was about to yell at her again when he saw the corners of her mouth turn up into a smirk.

"You were doing it this time, so don't even think about yelling at me. Your dinner is ready."

He grunted in reply and sat down to eat. He noticed she picked at the food but after one bite devoured the rest like it was her last meal. It was his turn to smirk.

"What?" she asked with an eyebrow raised high.

"You're welcome."

"Oh," she giggled nervously and turned a slight shade of pink. "Thanks."

AAAAAAAAA I am Clearly a Line Break AAAAA Worship my Line Breakage Powers AAAA

"Okay, so, we have the really creepy doll that looks like Crono, and the Time Egg, and now we just have to scale this mountain? This should be a piece of cake. Seriously. A piece of really old, moldy cake with worms on top," Marle muttered under her breath. Still, she was pretty happy though she wouldn't let it on. Finally, she was going to get her red–haired boyfriend back.

"Ayla eat worms. Worms make good soup," said the blond, making a snow angel in the snow. How she managed to not freeze without any clothes on was really beyond Marle, but she had an inkling it was the mass amount of hair.

"Oh, gods, Ayla, don't tell me there were worms in that soup we ate in your village."

"Yup! Worm Soup! Worm Soup!"

"I think I'm going to be sick." And, of course, she was.

Frog, in the meantime, was rubbing the top of his sword, lost in thought. He looked disdainfully down at his green body, and sighed.

_If this works, I'll save thee next. No matter what, thine's heart will beat brilliantly once more. Even if it costs us the world._

Marle emerged a few seconds later, looking a little green around the gills but otherwise refreshed.

Robo beeped at her. "Are you alright, Marle? If you wish, we can set up camp here. The sun is about to set and it would probably be safer to scale the mountain in the light."

"You're right Robo. Okay, let's set up camp. Ayla, instead of setting up the tent why don't you go get us something to eat. No, it isn't that I don't trust you, but you tried to impale Frog on a spike the last time and I don't think he appreciated it." Frog agreed at this. "No, he knows you didn't mean it, but still. You're much better at hunting."

When they had gathered into the tents at night Marle stayed up a little longer, staring at the Crono doll which lay propped up near the flaps. She crawled over to it and stroked its hair.

"We're coming for you. I swear. I won't let you down. I'm strong, Crono. I'll do anything for you."

Gathering the doll in her arms she laid it next to her on the sleeping mat. Cuddling up to it, she fell asleep with her head on his chest.


End file.
